


Life Partners

by NightDivinerInTheShoppe



Category: Servamp (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 03:39:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12123741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightDivinerInTheShoppe/pseuds/NightDivinerInTheShoppe
Summary: It is always hard to know what the future will hold, but for Mahiru, at least he knows of one person who it will always hold.





	Life Partners

**Author's Note:**

> This is another entry for Kuromahi Week! It applies to quite a few of the prompts, such as Promises, Longing, Future, Comfort, even a hint of "Firsts." Yay for cheating! cx

Usually, the walk home from school was more exciting for Kuro than it was for Mahiru, because it meant that soon, he could raid the fridge and play video games. Soon, there would be no annoying teachers lecturing or teenage girls mollycoddling. Today however, Kuro wasn't focused on how glad he was to be finally heading home. His mind was full of heavier thoughts as he followed Mahiru in human form along the streets. 

It all started after the school bell rang, when Mahiru was stopped by a girl in the halls. Kuro thought nothing of it at first. People liked Mahiru, and people knew Mahiru was the person you would go to if you wanted to get things done. The servamp continued to snooze away on his eve's shoulder, only half-listening to the exchange. 

"Shirota-kun, could I ask you a question?" 

Kuro opened one eye. _She's beating around the bush. So troublesome. We should just leave_. Of course, Mahiru was just too kind to refuse any question, being a boy of inquiry himself. _Again, troublesome._ He fixed the girl with his signature bright smile. _Even more troublesome,_ Kuro reflected, but this time he felt a little warm under his fur. "Sure! You need something?"

The girl shook her head and looked to her shoes, her deep brown eyes flitting this way and that, like she was going insane. "My friend wants to know...if there are any girls you like." She was nervous, by the way her voice trembled slightly. Her head shot up in alarm. "Er, if there's _anyone_ you like!" 

Kuro could tell that the question confused Mahiru, just by the way his shoulder stiffened and his smile dropped. From the boy's hesitation, Kuro drew that thoughts were probably racing through Mahiru's mind. _What a pain. No need to overthink. Just spit it out._ Kuro suddenly realized how much he was anticipating his eve's answer. His heart rate was increasing the longer Mahiru hesitated, and a strange panic developed within. Finally, Mahiru relieved him."I don't think there is. Why?" He paused once again before continuing, "Does your friend...want to go out with me?" 

 _What do you think??_ Kuro noticed how his claws were ever-so-slightly digging into Mahiru's school jacket. It was as if he was trying to tug Mahiru away from the scene despite his small, helpless cat-form. He really didn't want the conversation to continue.

The girl shrugged, her hips swaying a little. "Maybe she does," she chimed, sounding a lot more confident than before. She even went so far as to coyly smirk at Mahiru and narrow her bright eyes, her dark eyelashes fanning out beautifully at the corners. The gesture made Kuro's stomach churn, his claws dig deeper. _It's a sure sign of trouble. Come on, just leave, Mahiru_.

Although his unease was obvious, Mahiru politely concluded the conversation and headed out the door, much to Kuro's relief.

The confrontation silenced Kuro most of the way back home, but loud thoughts filled his mind. This was oddly reminiscent of another dark walk home, after a fight with one of his brothers triggered painful memories and consuming self-loathing. There was no way that this girl could have bothered him that much, was there? _I need to stop, this has nothing to do with my past._ He focused his attention forward, past his silvery blue bangs at the carefree boy walking ahead. Kuro realized that he liked to follow his lead, because even if Mahiru didn't know where he was going, he knew what to do if they got lost. Kuro needed Mahiru to always be there. _It has to do with my future._

"There's really no one at school you like?" Kuro didn't mean to ask it aloud. It just slipped out, and he almost regretted it, until he realized just how much he wanted, how much he _needed_ to know. 

"Nope, there really isn't," Mahiru answered without looking back over his shoulder. He was taking this like a casual exchange between friends. He had no idea what Kuro was toiling with. _You don't understand..._

Kuro slowed his pace to a halt, hands in his pockets, eyes on the ground. There was a rather cliché scene that played over and over again in his head - that upcoming Friday, the girl would ask Mahiru to meet her by the sakura tree in the school courtyard, where she would confess her feelings to him and pull him into a warm kiss, flurries of pink petals dancing around them to seal their fate as a couple. Kuro tried telling himself that this wasn't a shoujo anime he was living, this wasn't Yandere Simulator, but the overbearing truth still hurt him - someday, someone would come around and win Mahiru's heart. 

It wasn't conflicted romantic feelings or jealousy that was tearing at Kuro's emotions. Perhaps those were both things he truly felt, but that wasn't what made his stomach churn with uneasiness, his brain ache with doubt. It was the fact that, no matter who Mahiru dated or how they would come to be, Kuro probably wouldn't be there to see it. He would probably be left behind while someone confessed their feelings to Mahiru in private. He definitely wouldn't attend any dates. Would Mahiru not focus on him or the other servamps as much, instead focusing on his significant other? Would Mahiru ever get irritated with Kuro if he ever said he missed him? Would a relationship...tear them apart? 

"You can trust me." This wasn't meant to slip out either. 

Mahiru immediately stopped and turned. He arched an eyebrow, once again confused. Though, Kuro couldn't really blame him, because he had the exact same questions flowing through his mind: _Why are you asking this? Why now? Are you jumping to conclusions? Do you think it was a lie earlier?_ "I know I can. That's why I'm telling you the truth. I don't have a crush on any of my classmates." He rubbed the back of his neck and continued, "I guess I just don't have time for all that stuff. Why?"

Kuro's lip quivered. "No. I mean..." he took a few steps closer to Mahiru. "I believe you. What I mean to say is..." his red eyes didn't make contact with Mahiru's, but anyone could tell how troubled he was, how much anxiety he held inside. "Mahiru, you can count on me." 

"Huh?" Mahiru was still confused, his eyes searching Kuro's face as if he was deciding what to say next. "Well, of course I can count on you," he said in a "no-brainer" tone. "You've proven that in battle many times before." 

Typical Mahiru. He wasn't catching on, which made Kuro regret that he ever said anything at all. Though, he supposed he was being pretty vague. Letting out a breath, he continued, this time staring straight into Mahiru's eyes. "You are human, and humans are supposed to fall in love if it feels right to them." _And vampires are not._ "If you ever do allow yourself to fall in love with someone, even start a life with them..." He did his best to choose his words carefully in this brief pause. "...don't worry about me. I know it might be hard to start a relationship with someone when I have to be there most of the time, but I promise, I won't be a bother."

Kuro held such a genuine intensity in his eyes that Mahiru felt compelled to stare straight back, their gazes locked as Mahiru hung on every somber word. He wanted to interject at the last thing Kuro said, but the servamp cut him off. "Also, I want to get along with them, even if they turn out to be annoying like you."

"Hey!"

"I want to protect them, like I want to protect you. And if you ever have kids, they are under my wing too." The last part hit Kuro a little harder than he thought it would. The realization that Mahiru might want to raise children one day only reminded Kuro of the different tracks he and Mahiru were doomed to walk. This was merely a chapter in Kuro's life, but a whole book for Mahiru. Kuro's head hung low. "I'm sorry. It's a burden to spend your whole life with someone like me." He scuffed the ground with his shoe. Sleepy Ash was just an immortal passing through. Mahiru was just a stop along an endless stretch of road. Surely that made Mahiru feel worthless. "I promise to make sure everything goes the way it was meant to." 

Silence. Kuro kept his eyes on his boots, while Mahiru scanned the forlorn figure up and down. Eventually, his own gaze searched the ground, eyebrows furrowing above his calculating stare. It wasn't long before he directed his attention back to Kuro with a determined expression on his face as he came closer. "Kuro..." 

Something soft brushed across Kuro's face to rest upon his shoulder. One arm wrapped around his back beneath his shoulderblades, the other reached around his right shoulder up to his head. Kuro's hood was flattened down, and Mahiru gently pressed his hand against the back of Kuro's head, the fingers burying in his soft silvery blue hair. This was a hug - Mahiru was hugging him... Panic flashed through Kuro for a moment, causing him to stiffen, until it settled in that this...this was what he needed right now. He craved this comfort, even though it felt so wrong to. 

He relaxed in his eve's embrace, eventually resting his forehead against Mahiru's shoulder. His head ached with worry, but Mahiru was the cool compress to his doubts. Gradually, the servamp allowed his arms to come up around his eve, until he was gingerly clinging to him. He continued to bury his face into Mahiru's shoulder, as if to hide his "troublesome" expression from the boy. Yet, he knew it would be hard for Mahiru to ignore the damp spots on his school jacket. 

" _This IS_ the way it's meant to go."


End file.
